As a result of a question posed to me and several friends expressing their deep admiration for Mary, the Mother of God, I decided to write a short article explaining why evangelical Christians often struggle to understand the Catholic perspective. First, let me clarify that there is no scriptural prohibition against venerating Mary. Yet, Scripture appears to encourage prayer to Christ alone, rather than to anyone who has passed away. Furthermore, most Christians seem to agree that admiration and veneration should be directed solely to our Lord, rather than to His mother. The veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus, has long been a distinguishing feature of Roman Catholic devotion. In contrast, Evangelical Christians generally refrain from veneration of Mary. This difference is rooted in divergent theological frameworks, differing views on authority, and varying interpretations of the Bible. Let me unpack these points. 

1. Scripture as the Final Authority

Evangelicals are committed to the doctrine of sola Scriptura, the belief that Scripture alone is the ultimate authority for faith and practice. As theologian Wayne Grudem explains:

“Evangelicals insist that all doctrines must be tested by Scripture and that nothing can be imposed on the conscience of the believer that is not clearly taught in the Bible.” [1]

While the Bible honors Mary (Luke 1:28, 48), it does not explicitly teach the practices associated with Marian veneration, such as praying to her, her Immaculate Conception, or her Assumption into heaven. Evangelicals typically view these as extra-biblical doctrines without clear scriptural support. Making Mary the center of one’s Devotional practice cannot be healthy when the biblical imperative teaches otherwise. 

2. Jesus as the Sole Mediator

Another key difference lies in the evangelical understanding of Christ’s unique role as mediator. According to 1 Timothy 2:5:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (NIV).

Evangelicals worry that Marian intercession, as practiced in Catholicism, undermines the sufficiency of Christ’s mediation. As R.C. Sproul put it:

“To ascribe to Mary a mediatorial role alongside Christ is to compromise the uniqueness of His work.” [2]

As a Christian, I understand the objective of prayer and faith, but I should also consider the object of these, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. This should be intuitive to the Christian who bears the name of the One they deem as Lord and Saviour, not Mary, His mother. 

3. Rejection of Church Tradition as Equal to Scripture

Catholic Marian dogmas are derived not only from Scripture but also from Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium (the Church’s teaching authority). Evangelicals reject the idea that tradition can define doctrine independently of Scripture. As Gregg R. Allison notes:

“Evangelicals affirm the necessity of tradition in shaping theology but deny its equality with or superiority to Scripture.” [3]

The veneration of Mary represents a cardinal difference between Roman Catholics and Evangelical Christians. There appears to be no urgency in the teachings of Jesus or the New Testament authors to prioritize tradition over Scripture. It is often argued that the earliest Christian community lacked Scripture and relied solely on tradition. However, this is not entirely accurate. The first Christian community had the Old Testament as their Scripture, which affirmed the traditions considered sacred by the Church. These traditions were not on equal footing with Scripture but instead served as complementary to the text.

4. Concerns About Idolatry

Evangelicals often perceive Marian devotion as dangerously close to idolatry, rendering to a creature what is due to God alone. While Catholics make a distinction between latria (worship of God), dulia (veneration or esteem of the Pope), protodulia (Veneration of the Saints), and hyperdulia (special veneration for Mary), evangelicals see such nuance as impractical in popular piety.

John MacArthur writes:

“The practice of praying to Mary and the saints… is a clear violation of biblical teaching about prayer and worship.” [4] 

Over the years, whenever I spoke to my Roman Catholic friends, it seemed like their definition of worship and veneration was ambiguous. I usually ask where the line is drawn between the two, and rarely do I get Catholics who can state the difference. Without a clear understanding of the priority of the two, it seems like idolatry is inevitable.

Conclusion

Evangelicals deeply respect Mary as the mother of Jesus and a model of faith. However, they refrain from veneration due to their commitment to sola Scriptura, Christ’s unique mediatorship, and a concern for guarding worship exclusively for God.

“We honor Mary best not by praying to her, but by imitating her humble faith and obedience.” [5]

Sources: 

1. Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, 2nd ed., p. 80.

2. R.C. Sproul, Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism, p. 102.

3. Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment, Gregg R. Allison, p. 51

4. The Gospel According to Rome, John MacArthur.

5. John Stott (as cited in Basic Christianity)